A small video projector is displaying a video on a wall. A small film cutter (guillotine) is placed in between the projector and the projection. The guillotine is assembled with an automatic mechanism (composed by an Arduino and a small stepper motor) programed to move its handle upwards and downwards. The movement is therefore synchronized with the narrative in the video, that shows a long shot of a performer (the artist), stepping in a room, facing the camera, and placing one part of her body (head, arms or legs) on a small white bench. When the guillotine handle moves downwards, obscuring the projection, the performer is placing one part of her body on the bench. When the guillotine handle moves upwards, the projection is revealed again, showing the performer without the part of the body previously placed on the bench. The video and the mechanism continues until all parts of the body are cut off. The installation is always in loop.

QUIÉN HACE EUROPA

Venue: Matadero, Madrid, Spain

07.06.2013 – 14.07.2013 

Curator: Susanne Hinrichs

Who makes Europe

Venue:  Städtische Galerie Bremen

Bremen, Germany.

December 2013 — January 2014

Curator: Susanne Hinrichs

Who makes Europe

Venue: Gdanska Galeria Miejska

Gdansk, Poland.

February — March 2014

Curator: Susanne Hinrichs

“El trabajo elaborado por Patrícia J. Reis para la exposición produce al principio perplejidad visual pero pronto manifiesta su ingenio técnico. Reflexiona sobre la representación lingüística de Europa como un cuerpo y literalmente le amputa sus extremidades. Una y otra vez en numerosas alocuciones y textos, Europa queda definida como un cuerpo, como la suma de sus partes. La videoinstalación deja patente la disfuncionalidad del todo con la pérdida de los detalles particulares. Reis crea una imagen metafórica llamativa, visualmente impresionante, irritante en cuanto a su cualidad táctil de cierta maldad.”

Text by Susanne Hinrichs, curator of the exhibition “Quién hace Europa” in Matadero, Madrid, Spain. (From 7th of June – 14th of July 2013)

Development, concept and production: Patrícia J. Reis